REPORT OF TEE ENTOMOLOGIST AXD BOTAXIST 237 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



■treaks aggregated on the dorsal area into a regular pattern consisting of a medio- 

 dorsal continuous band, with a pale disconnected narrow line in the centre, and two 

 lateral less connected stripes also centred with a pale thread and of about the same 

 intensity as the niedio-dorsal band. The space between the lateral stripes is closely 

 tpeckled with black dots. The stigrnatal stripj is black, narrow and distinct, and close 

 beneath it is a wide conspicuous yellow substigmatal band with the ground colour 

 showing through it in places. The ventral surface is slightly paler than the dorsal. 

 The head is honey yellow, mottled with darker markings. 



The caterpillars of Mamestra atlantica being cutworms, if they should ever be- 

 come abundant, the ordinary remedies for cutworms may be used. 



The moth of Mamestra atlantica, Grt., is a pretty grayish brown species with the 

 fore wings mottled with darker brown blotches and shaded with ruddy brown or gray. 

 The costal area which reaches to and includes the orbicular spot is distinctly grayish, 

 the lower wings fuscous. The subterminal line which bears the W-shaped mark of the 

 genus is white and narrow, very distinct, by reason of a dark shade between it and 

 the margin. Superficially M. atlantica will be thought by the ordinary observer to 

 bear a decided resemblance to M. suhjuncta, G. & R. Prof. J. B. Smith has very 

 kindly drawn me up the following memorandum describing the differences between 

 M. atlantica. the closely allied M. nevadce, Grt., and M. suhjuncta. In addition to 

 what Prof. Smith has noted, I may add that, from the examination of a large number 

 of specimens caught in the field and several others reared from the egg in confinement, 

 I find a very constant difference in the form of the subterminal line. In suhjuncta 

 this line sweeps in a gentle curve behind the apical patch and coming forward joins 

 the base of the W-shaped mark, whereas in atlantica it strikes inward from the costa 

 behind the apical patch in a straight line and then runs out again at a sharp angle 

 beneath it. The apical patch in suhjuncta is hardly traceable, while in atlantica in 

 many specimens it is strikingly paler than the rest of the wing around it. 



Notes on Mamestra atlantica, Grt., M. nevadce, Grt., and M. suhjuncta, G. & R. 



Mamestra suhjuncta differs at once from atlantica and nevadce by the longer, 

 narrower primaries, in which the anal angle is distinctly retracted. In ornamentation 

 the obvious difference is a narrow black line extending from the end of the claviform 

 to the t. p. (.transverse posterior) line in suhjuncta, which is wanting in both the 

 others. 



As between atlantica and nevadce, the differences are -equally great in general 

 appearance, but more difficult to locate and define. 



Atlantica is somewhat smaller, much brighter in colour, the costal region tends 

 to become lighter throughout and the transverse lines obscure. The orbicular is 

 oblique, narrow, elongate, the claviform narrow and pointed at tip. There is no sug- 

 gestion of suhjuncta in appearance. 



Nevadce has an obvious resemblance to suhjuncta and hardly recalls atlantica. 



The colour is darker, the costal region is not contrastingly brighter, the orbicular 

 is round or oval, and the claviform is short, broad and not pointed. The male organs 

 differ markedly. See Proc. U.S.N.M. xiv., pi. viii. ff. 20 and 23 for atlantica and suh- 

 juncta. Those of nevadce exaggerate the atlantica characters. — John B. Smith. 



FRUIT CROPS. 



The fruit crop of Ontario during the past season has been a very remarkable one. 

 For the greater part of the province apples may be said to have been a failure, but in 

 the northern counties and up through Muskoka, Hanitoulin and Algoma, wherever 



